Abstract:
Americans are famous for building big: the tallest sky scraper, the biggest jet, the widest plasma TV screen. But now U.S. entrepreneurs are considering thinking small. Nanotechnology uses particles 80,000 times smaller than a human hair; yet the new technology has the potential to quickly clean up pollution, cure serious illnesses, and make the computer silicon chip obsolete. While EPA looks forward to new environmental breakthroughs, the Agency's first commitment is to protect human health and the environment. Therefore EPA has awarded 21 grants totaling $7.34 million to universities to investigate potential adverse health and environmental effects of manufactured nanomaterials.

Nanotechnology: The Big News is Small

Washington, DC | Posted on January 29th, 2008

The grants were awarded through EPA's Science to Achieve Results (STAR) research grants program in partnership with the National Science Foundation's (NSF), National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) who awarded another eight grants for a total of 29. Nine of the grants focus on potential toxicity, and 12 grants study the fate and transport of nanomaterials in the environment.

"Nanotechnology is an exciting new field with the potential to transform environmental protection. But it is critical to know whether nanomaterials could negatively impact health or the environment," said George Gray, Assistant Administrator of EPA's Office of Research and Development. "By performing research on potential adverse affects, EPA is doing what is right for both human and environmental health and technological progress."

Today, EPA is initiating a Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to gather and develop key information from manufacturers, importers, processors and users of engineered chemical nanoscale materials. The information gathered through the stewardship program will be invaluable in furthering EPA's understanding of potential risks and benefits of these nanoscale materials.

EPA further works with agencies in other countries on nanotechnology health and safety research. The Agency is part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) effort to promote international cooperation in health and environmental safety related aspects of manufactured nanomaterials,

University of California, Santa Barbara, Calif., $399,986 -- Discover the processes that could allow manmade nanoparticles to enter cells and possibly cause toxicity in a variety of bacteria and other single-celled organisms.

Columbia University, New York, N.Y., $200,000 -- Describe the life-cycle environmental profile of nanomaterials that are candidates for use in photovoltaic or solar power applications.

University of Delaware, Newark, Del., $399,035 - Develop an understanding of the fate of manmade nanoparticles released into subsurface environments.

University of Georgia Research Foundation, Athens, Ga., $397,009 -- Study the impact of metal nanoparticles on food webs, and the transfer ability of these toxins depending on their particle size and chemical composition.

University of Maine, Orono, ME, $398,298 -- Determine the toxicity of semiconductor nanostructures, their impact on the environment, and the potential health risks in living organisms involved with bioaccumulation of the substances.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Mich., $371,886 -- Provide fundamental information about the movement, fate and bioavailability of manmade, carbon nanotubes under different environmental conditions.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tenn., $396,807 -- Study the effects of an industrial nanomaterial, C60 fullerenes, as a contaminant in aquatic ecosystems.

University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, $200,000 -- Investigate whether ingested nanoparticles are taken up by inflamed colon cells, move to the cell nucleus, and cause alteration of gene transcription.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wis., $398,810 -- Assess how the immune system of rainbow trout responds to manufactured nanomaterials.

EPA relies on quality science as the basis for sound policy and decision-making. EPA's laboratories, research centers, and grantees are building the scientific foundation needed to support the Agency's mission to safeguard human health and the environment.

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About EPAThe mission of the Environmental Protection Agency is to protect human health and the environment. Since 1970, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment for the American people.

EPA employs 17,000 people across the country, including our headquarters offices in Washington, DC, 10 regional offices, and more than a dozen labs. Our staff are highly educated and technically trained; more than half are engineers, scientists, and policy analysts. In addition, a large number of employees are legal, public affairs, financial, information management and computer specialists. EPA is led by the Administrator, who is appointed by the President of the United States.